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Novak Djokovic has revealed that he refused to participate in his usual post-match interview at the Australian Open in protest of derogatory remarks made by a Channel 9 presenter about Serbian fans and himself. The 24-time Grand Slam champion made it clear that he will not speak to Channel 9 reporters until an official apology is issued, even if it results in a fine.
Djokovic's stand against offensive remarks
After his dominant 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 victory over No. 24 seed Jiri Lehecka, Djokovic was expected to take part in the usual post-match interview with Channel 9's Jim Courier.
However, the Serbian star took matters into his own hands, grabbing the microphone and addressing the Rod Laver Arena crowd instead. “Thank you very much for being here tonight, I appreciate your presence and support and I will see you in the next round,” Djokovic said before walking off to a mix of applause and boos.
Shortly after, Djokovic was seen in a tense exchange with tournament director Craig Tiley, which led to further clarification during his post-match press conference.
Explaining the boycott
In the press conference, Djokovic explained his actions and reiterated his decision not to give interviews to Channel 9 due to offensive comments made by one of their hosts. "A couple of days ago, the famous sports journalist who works for official broadcaster, Channel 9 here in Australia, made a mockery of Serbian fans and also made insulting and offensive comments towards me," Djokovic stated. "Since then, he chose not to issue any public apology. Neither did Channel 9."
Djokovic emphasized that his boycott was not aimed at Jim Courier or the Australian public, but rather at Channel 9’s failure to address the issue. "I have nothing against Jim Courier or the Australian public. It was a very awkward situation for me to face on the court today," Djokovic said. He added that he hoped Channel 9 would handle the matter in a way they saw fit.
Will the boycott continue?
When asked if he would continue his boycott until he received an apology, Djokovic responded firmly, "Yes, exactly." The controversy stems from remarks made by Channel 9 host Tony Jones during a live broadcast, where he mocked Djokovic and Serbian fans. “Novak, he’s overrated,” Jones said. “Novak is a has-been. Novak, kick him out.”
Djokovic’s frustration with crowd heckling
During the match, Djokovic also voiced his frustration with the crowd's behaviour. At one point, he was heard telling Swedish umpire Mohamed Lahyani, “They are doing it on purpose. It is so obvious.” Despite the heckling, Djokovic insisted that the boycott was not related to the crowd but rather to Channel 9’s actions.
In his closing comments, Djokovic reiterated that he was prepared to accept any fine for skipping the interview. "If you guys want to fine me for not giving an on-court interview, that's okay, I'll accept that 'cause I feel like this is something that needs to be done," he stated.
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